


Vulnerable (1/1)

by dominique012



Category: House M.D.
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 06:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1418976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dominique012/pseuds/dominique012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the ficathon at <a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://free-neutrality.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://free-neutrality.livejournal.com/"></a><b>free_neutrality</b></p>
    </blockquote>





	Vulnerable (1/1)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the ficathon at [](http://free-neutrality.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://free-neutrality.livejournal.com/)**free_neutrality**

**Title:** Vulnerable (1/1)  
 **Rating:** G  
 **Words** : 1010  
 **Spoilers:** None.  
 **Summary** : Chase catches Cuddy in a rare moment.  
 **Notes:** Written for the ficathon at [](http://free-neutrality.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://free-neutrality.livejournal.com/)**free_neutrality**  
Prompt: Cuddy/Chase, night sky.  
Also, I overlooked Cameron/Chase from the end of S3, just for my own convenience.  
It's been a while for me and House fic. I hope you enjoy.

Chase stood on the steps outside the cafeteria, lunch tray in hand. Glancing down at his sandwich and sad, squashed little muffin, he suddenly and fervently wished that he'd taken Cameron to the little Thai place. Or that she'd said yes. Or that he'd asked a second time.

He shook his head, keen to just get the lunch thing out of the way.

Eyeing the tables, he noticed Dr. Cuddy, sitting alone. Half a sandwich and a coffee sat abandoned on the table next to her. She was writing in her notebook and seemed immersed in her work. He'd heard her mention some speech for a charity event.

He glanced around, unsure now whether to sit down alone, or with her, or somehow retreat into the safety of the cafeteria.

She looked busy. More than busy, she seemed completely oblivious to anything around her. And, without the buffer of House or some case-related spiel, he was suddenly hesitant to interrupt and just cozy up next to her for lunch.

A sudden jolt from behind, and a couple of interns burst through the doors behind him. He stumbled down the steps, paused, and then headed over in the direction of her table.

He walked casually, but holding his lunch out in front of him he had visions of a skinny school kid trying to make friends.

He stopped near her table. She'd chosen the primo spot, at the far end of the lunch area, but just near a tree, which was providing a nice cover of shade over her open notebook. He frowned. There was no Cuddy scrawl filling the page, not even a heading. The speech obviously wasn't going too well.

She'd filled the margins though. Peering surreptitiously, Chase discerned a whole series of stars, and something looking vaguely crescent-shaped.

He looked away before she could notice him.

"Hey. Dr. Cuddy!" He blinked. His voice was louder than he'd expected. And somehow more…jolly?

She looked up, faint surprise marking her expression. "Dr. Chase." She wasn't smiling, but something in her voice made him feel like she was. She didn't look particularly bothered by the interruption.

He felt himself relax. His voice seemed to do the same, descending to some normal range of pitch and volume.

"How are you?" He had the sudden thought that it was the first time he'd asked her that.

She did smile now, glancing down at the table before meeting his eyes. "I'm…not bad. How about you?"

"Good. I’m good." His gaze dropped to the empty chair. She noticed and nodded to it. "Go ahead."

"If you're…" he looked at her notebook, then instantly wished he hadn't, "…not too busy."

She grinned. "You can see how well it's going." She leaned forward, in conspiratorial fashion. "I think I can handle the interruption."

He nodded, putting the tray down and settling into the chair. He began freeing his lunch from its little plastic prison. "What's the problem?"

"Oh..." She pressed two fingers against her forehead, before absently pushing a wave of hair back. "I’m just having trouble concentrating."

Chase raised his eyebrows, nodding slowly. He took a bite of his sandwich. She was staring at her notebook. Wistful.

He was about to try a quip about how succinct the speech would be, but instead heard himself saying, "What's on your mind?"

She answered immediately, without pause and without looking at him. "Just…someone. From a long time ago. An old friend." She smiled down at the book. "Last time I saw him, we were out all night, just walking around. It was warm. We just - it was a gorgeous night." She looked up to meet his eyes.

Chase leaned forward. There was no cool amusement, no remnants of fatigue or frustration in her features. She could have been a stranger.

He was captured by wide, warm eyes and a fond half-smile. The sigh at the end of her sentence. The uncertain way she was fiddling with her pen. She looked past him, her eyes flicking searchingly from place to place. She looked unsure and hopeful. Vibrant. Beautiful.

He caught his breath and frowned, unwilling to break the spell. His tone was even, his eyes fixed on her face. "So, what happened?"

She stared into the distance and gave a tiny shrug. "Nothing. I – haven't seen him since then." She glanced down at her bag. "He's here. Left a couple of messages on my voice mail, and at the hospital."

Chase felt suddenly excited, and somehow completely invested in her situation. He'd just stumbled along, and bumped into something gorgeous and vulnerable.

"So you're going to meet him?" He forced himself to sound neutral.

She smiled again. "I don't know," she said. Chase felt a flicker of recognition as he gauged her look.

She shook her head with a small laugh. "I feel– "

In love. She looked in love.

"-Hesitant. I don't know. Weird."

Chase kept his voice light. "Maybe you should see him. Might be an opportunity to…catch up?"

She gave him a long look, and then her gaze slowly circled the space around them. He watched her mouth relax a little, and with a sigh her uncertainty transformed into something more like anticipation.

She closed her eyes for a moment. Chase felt like saying goodbye.

Closing her notebook, she started tidying up her forgotten lunch. Her tone was brisk; classic Cuddy. "I should get going."

She looked at him, frowning as though with realization. Chase saw the slightly awkward look he'd expected a lot sooner.

She started, "It's been a huge week, and I’m…"

Chase dismissed her words with a smile and what he hoped was an indifferent wave. "Yeah. No problem."

She gathered up her things and left without a further word. His eyes followed her as she headed in the direction of her office.

He glanced down at his lunch, recalling beautiful, hopeful, vulnerable eyes.

He fought the sudden urge to jump up and run after her. He thought of the other guy, and the call.

He took another bite of his sandwich.

**end**   



End file.
